WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Order
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 163: The Wise and the Foolish (4)
──────
There were several core principles in the battle doctrines established to fight demons, and one of them was speed.
'Even if sacrifices must be made, eliminate the enemy as quickly as possible.'
It wasn't a complicated principle. Yet it was also the one inexperienced commanders violated most often.
Demons always created variables, and new variables meant more sacrifices. If they dragged things out in hopes of ending the battle without losses, they would have to bear even greater sacrifices.
Scaldrina and Irsa weren't commanders, but they knew that all too well.
"Irsa. Let's rest for a moment, then move right away."
Scaldrina leaned against the wall and fell sound asleep the moment she closed her eyes. If not for her soft breathing, she would have looked almost dead.
Irsa quietly watched the sleeping Scaldrina.
'Has Scaldrina slept this deeply at all over the past few months?'
It was deep and sweet, though not long. Still, that was enough.
When Scaldrina woke a little later, her blue eyes shone more brightly than usual.
"Today's going to be a rewarding day."
"I hope so."
Stretching, Scaldrina looked over the Ashen Horde. The mass was so enormous that she couldn't count how many there were.
Irsa asked, "Sis. Is there a battle record for that thing too?"
"Of course."
Paladins kept records of their battles with demons. They weren't records for glory or honor, but records meant to prevent the same failures from happening again. That was why failed battle records were passed down in far greater detail than successful ones.
"What did it say?"
Scaldrina recalled a story an instructor had told her.
"Several dozen Paladins skilled in mounted combat tried to break through its ranks on warhorses. Two or three times, I think."
"They all failed, right?"
"That's right. After that, they gave up on defeating it. Some Paladins wanted to try again, but the leadership never approved it."
The Knights of old had formed ranks and tried to pierce the horde like a spear aimed at the enemy's heart. It was a commonly used tactic, but it wasn't enough to kill The One Who Walks on Graves.
"Can we do it?"
Tension colored Irsa's voice. The two of them had to accomplish what dozens of Paladins had failed to do. Yet Scaldrina saw a chance.
"We can. We'll use a different method."
"What method?"
"We won't force our way through. We'll approach the demon quietly and stab it through the heart."
It was a simple plan. Slip into the Ashen Horde and eliminate only The One Who Walks on Graves.
Of course, it couldn't be a perfect victory. Neither Scaldrina nor Irsa was a mage, so even if they somehow subdued the demon, they couldn't seal it.
But a perfect victory wasn't what they needed. Once The One Who Walks on Graves was subdued and the Ashen Horde returned to dirt, they would use that opening to get the people out. That was all Scaldrina and Irsa were aiming for.
"How will we get close to The One Who Walks on Graves?"
"We can do it if the Blind Guardian grants us divine power."
"What kind of divine power?"
"Visual Perception Obfuscation."
Every god possessed at least one divine power connected to their divine name. Visual Perception Obfuscation was one of the Blind Guardian's divine powers. Those granted the divine power of Visual Perception Obfuscation became difficult to perceive visually.
"That divine power isn't used much, is it? I heard it can't fool senses like smell, hearing, or touch."
"That's true. But it doesn't matter."
Scaldrina answered confidently.
"First, we don't need to worry about hearing. We just have to move quietly. Besides, our footsteps will be drowned out by theirs. Touch is the same. We just need to be careful not to touch them."
"How will we fool their sense of smell?"
Scaldrina smiled at Irsa's question.
"Irsa. You and I probably smell worse than they do."
The two had been regularly drenched in demonic beast blood without being able to wash properly. The situation was even worse now, in winter. Since it hadn't rained, all they could do was wipe themselves down bit by bit with snow that hadn't yet melted.
"What do you think, Irsa? Doesn't it seem like we can pull it off?"
Irsa considered it for a moment, then nodded. At first glance, it seemed insane, but when she considered each part, it really might work.
"But, Sis. Will the Blind Guardian grant us divine power?"
"They will. Like you said earlier, the reason they took back their divine power before was to lead us out of the basin."
That wasn't a guess but a certainty. Scaldrina could feel the gaze of the god watching over her.
* * *
The two left the passage where they had been staying and went down the hill. Then they carefully approached the Ashen Horde.
Hiding behind a rock, they offered a prayer.
"Blind Guardian. Please grant Irsa and me the divine power of Visual Perception Obfuscation."
Scaldrina's prediction had been right. A warm sensation of divine power wrapped around Scaldrina and Irsa.
Irsa still looked uneasy.
"It seems like we received the divine power... but I can see you clearly. Isn't something wrong?"
"Visual Perception Obfuscation makes it difficult to recognize something you've seen. It doesn't make you invisible."
"But I don't feel like you're hard to recognize at all..."
"That's because you and I have been recognizing each other this whole time. But they haven't recognized us until now, so they'll have a hard time recognizing us from now on too."
The greatest thing they had to watch out for now was sound. Scaldrina took off all her armor and laid it on the ground so it wouldn't clink together. All she had left were her worn trousers, tunic, and cuirass.
Scaldrina stepped onto the ground with her bare white feet. The cold earth of late winter touched her soles, clearing her mind at once.
"Irsa. You're ready, right? Let's move quickly."
"Shouldn't we go slowly so we don't make any noise?"
"The divine power of Visual Perception Obfuscation only works around the people granted it. They can spot us from far away. The faster we get close, the safer we'll be."
It wasn't a serious restriction. Once Scaldrina and Irsa got close, they would be buried among the Ashen Horde, and those far away would no longer be able to see them. Unless they were looking down from above.
The two held their breath and crept closer. Their excited hearts pounded wildly. They feared that their ragged breathing or pounding hearts might reach the creatures' ears.
Irsa and Scaldrina drew closer and closer to the Ashen Horde.
Then, at last...
'We did it.'
The two slipped into the Ashen Horde.
'We've passed the biggest obstacle.'
Just as expected, the demonic beasts and animals of the Ashen Horde, along with several reanimated humans, failed to notice Scaldrina and Irsa. At times, a gaze swept past them, but even those creatures didn't realize they had seen Scaldrina and Irsa.
Irsa marveled.
'This is the divine power of Visual Perception Obfuscation...'
Scaldrina gestured.
'Be careful not to bump into anyone.'
It wasn't difficult for Scaldrina. Irsa managed well enough too. Priests who took part in battle received basic combat training.
All they could hear was the rough breathing of demonic beasts and animals. Irsa's heart swelled with excitement as they moved forward without hesitation.
'What if I really become famous after this?'
It didn't matter if they couldn't seal The One Who Walks on Graves. They would save countless people and discover a way to defeat a demon that other Paladins had given up on. Their achievement would be known far and wide, passed down for generations.
'My role will only be healing Scaldrina if she gets hurt, just in case. Still...'
Things didn't always go according to plan. As Irsa continued imagining things with a swelling heart, a loud shout rang out.
"Those fucking bitches!"
It was a human voice. Irsa and Scaldrina turned around almost at the same time.
Near the entrance to the basin, around fifteen people had gathered on top of a tall hill. They were the people who had often come looking for them, hurling insults and demanding to be sent somewhere safe.
Irsa's heart sank.
'They couldn't see us where we always stayed, so they came looking for us.'
The problem was that those people were furious. One man spat out a curse.
"Can't you see that the demon horde isn't attacking those bitches? I told you! Those filthy bitches are working with the demons!"
The ears of a dog-like demonic beast perked up. The demonic beasts and animals were reacting to the sound.
Irsa prayed desperately.
'Please, just shut up.'
But the man kept screaming as though he had something to be proud of.
"They were keeping us from escaping! Those bitches were going to throw us to the demons as food..."
Unbearable rage rose inside Irsa.
'Does that bastard even know what he's done?'
'God of Thread and Bottle. Could you please just strike that bastard in the head with a bolt of lightning...'
Fortunately or unfortunately, the people beside the man were slightly less stupid than he was.
"Shut your mouth, you fuck...!"
The people around him covered his mouth. But it was already too late.
The demonic beasts stirred by the shouting were already looking toward the basin. They began inching toward it. Only then did the man realize what he had done. His face turned pale.
'Those idiots...'
Irsa looked forward again. The demonic beasts and animals moving was a relatively minor issue. The real problem was the humans who had died and risen again. Unlike the other demonic beasts, they could vaguely understand the meaning behind the man's shout.
The Knights who had awakened from death looked around in confusion, trying to find out who the man's "filthy bitches" were.
Goosebumps rose along Irsa's neck. The divine power of Visual Perception Obfuscation protected Irsa and Scaldrina, but the Knights had vaguely recognized them through the shout. Even the Blind Guardian's divine power didn't seem like it could protect them in this situation.
The moment she sensed the danger, her overheated mind cooled at once.
Irsa grabbed Scaldrina's hand. Scaldrina turned around.
Irsa mouthed the words.
'We have to get out.'
Scaldrina mouthed back.
'No. If we retreat now, everyone will die.'
She wasn't talking about herself and Irsa. There were hundreds of people left in the basin. Scaldrina still hadn't abandoned them.
Scaldrina smiled at Irsa with her eyes.
'Irsa. You get out. I'll find a way.'
Scaldrina pushed off the ground forcefully. A little sand scattered, but there was no sound of footsteps.
Moving like flowing water, Scaldrina slipped through the Ashen Horde. There wasn't the slightest hesitation in her movements. She had to get even a little closer to the demon before she was discovered. The distance to the demon would decide success or failure.
Irsa covered her face with both hands.
'I can't run away and leave Scaldrina behind.'
Her decision came quickly. Irsa ran after Scaldrina. It was the first time in her life that she had run so desperately.
There was a strange dampness in the air brushing against her ears and cheeks. Irsa looked up at the sky.
Gray clouds had covered the sky above them at some point, too bright to be storm clouds, yet clearly heavy with rain.
'Is it going to rain?'
Irsa wondered if she would see raindrops fall before she died.
A moment later, Irsa caught up to Scaldrina.
They were only about fifteen steps from The One Who Walks on Graves. The Knights who had died and awakened again stood in Scaldrina's way.
Irsa sighed soundlessly.
'If those idiots hadn't shouted, we wouldn't have been blocked like this.'
But there was one thing Irsa didn't know: Scaldrina's true ability. With only the barest basic combat training, Irsa couldn't accurately judge Scaldrina's skill.
Scaldrina drew her sword and gave a small bow.
"Excuse me, seniors."
She didn't expect an answer. There was no warning either.
Scaldrina's shoulder flashed white, and a brilliant white sword light streaked through the air.
Shhk-
She might not have been the very best, but Scaldrina was a Paladin of outstanding skill.
The sluggish movements of Knights awakened from death couldn't stop her.
The heads of the Knights awakened from death flew into the air.
Then Scaldrina threw her sword in a single motion.
Toward the head of The One Who Walks on Graves.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
